I haven't seen that many bears this year, but I know they're out there, because I've seen (and stepped in, oops!) more bear scat on the trails than I ever have in previous years. I'm betting that this year's bear season has a record bag in our regions.

There are always a lot of them on Kaaterskill Mtn Range. The problem is that most are inaccessible. Most people who go there, park at the end of Gillespie Road and hunt on DEP or State land. I would be there very early in the morning. Once it gets later in the day, most bears just take a nap. People do bushwhack there so you need to make sure you see them clearly before shooting.

I would also go to where there are acorns. It is going to be a very good nut year. Bears move to those locations. The acorns are already falling off the trees.

Right now the black bears are feeding on the acorns at lower elevations. It is going to be a good acorn year, and they have come early. They are seeing them around Cairo, Acra, etc right now. In a week or two the the acorn trees will start dropping acorns on the mountaintop. Look for the oak trees that drop them, and you will find the bears.